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Anecdotes of SPOA BC ~ Allan Scott
ANECDOTES OF SPOA BC
by Allan Scott Maple Ridge – Simon Fraser University – Victoria
The first few issues of Ops Talk (hasn’t this association come along way?) brought back memories. The first conference I attended was in Prince George at the brand new “Inn of the North”. It was so new; some of the rooms weren’t finished. That was the year the Constitution and bylaws were drawn up. Delegates were up and down with motions, amendments, and points of order. The two that seemed to be up and down more than others was Jack Dyson (Port Alberni) and Ken Warner (Vancouver); they must have done a good job. Two people I met at the conference, who are no longer with us and who I still think of with fond memories, are Past President Jim Wilson (New Westminster) and Past President (be brief) Brian Shaw (Saanich).
Going back to Jack Hannan’s meeting in Victoria… I didn’t think it was that bad (I hope I wasn’t part of the problem). Jack was one of the people I have always respected. That was the year that Wilf Pelly (Kamloops) and I got elected to the Executive. It was also the year that I made a motion to have the secretary-treasurer position be a two-year term. Art Whistler (Coquitlam) found himself doing a second term. What goes around comes around – a couple of years later, I ended up as secretary treasurer, and in those two years the two presidents were George Routley (Duncan) and Art Whistler. I still think highly of them with many fond memories.
I am not sure what year it was, but it was while I was on the Executive, we decided to have one common hospitality suite. I think that was a good idea. The year that I was president, we had our first wine and cheese social. (I understand that that social still continues today). We also came out with our first pin; it was a silver bar with S.P.O.A. on it. I had asked Mack Christensen (Chilliwack) to find a jeweler to make them up. However, I don’t think it was too popular as it was replaced a few years later with the existing pin. I think it was the year Tom Browning (Burnaby) was President.
The year before the conference was in Vernon (it may have been the second time it was held there), Wilf Pelly and I decided that the association needed a gavel (perhaps we were thinking of Jack’s conference). Wilf had the gavel and box made in his shop; it was composed of wood from fruit trees native to the area. My only part was to get the green felt for the box, and to present it to the outgoing president. (I think Bob Dyson – Williams Lake, Nanaimo) got the felt.
At the conference in Kamloops, I had arranged with the Kamloops Fire Department to put on a demo with the fire fighting equipment found in the schools. It went over well until the Thompson River decided to rise and cut short our demo!
The best turnover of books, from the outgoing to the incoming president, was when I turned them over to Art Vanidour (Nanaimo). We went down to Art’s boat and cruised around all afternoon.
One of the things I’ve always felt good about was convincing Mack Christensen to become involved. He has been a very important part of the association.
Many years ago, I hired a relief janitor. Since then, he worked in a number of districts and is now back in Victoria in my old position. He is also a past president. Who is he? Glen Miller. (Not many past presidents hired a future president).
One last thing: the suppliers. The suppliers were, and will continue to be, an important part of this association. Two names that come to mind, they both worked hard but in different ways for our association; they were Ed Vivian (Fuller Brush) and Al Martindale (Panel Products).
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